Unitree drew global attention after its performance at the Spring Festival Gala (Chinese New Year). The company’s robots performed acrobatic stunts, jumped on trampolines, showcased complex martial arts moves, and executed backflips.

Unitree said the kung fu segment was fully autonomous, and the program set several records, including trampoline flips at heights of up to three meters and running speeds of 4 m/s (around 14 km/h).

Following the show, Wang said global robot shipments this year could reach the “tens of thousands,” with Unitree expecting to sell 10,000–20,000 units.

Unitree first attracted widespread attention at last year’s gala, when its humanoids demonstrated only basic movements.

“These innovations are highly practical and will enable the large-scale use of robot groups in the future,” Wang said.

He added that one robot fell during the performance, but the incident was planned.

Other robots also took part in the show, including the human-sized H2 humanoid and B2-W robot dogs. Robots from three Chinese companies — Magiclab, Galbot, and Noetix — appeared on stage.

Technology analyst Patrick Zhang noted that the gala provides an ideal demonstration environment, with flat surfaces and predictable airflow.

“In the real world, robots face greater challenges — on stage, they have clear advantages,” he said.

Unitree Robotics is rapidly scaling from demonstration to commercialization, signaling growing confidence in humanoid robot demand. However, real-world deployment will be the true test beyond controlled stage performances.